title: Overweight of adolescent girls is associated with self-mutilative behavior.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of the present study was to examine the association of overweight with suicide ideation, self-mutilative behavior (SMB) and suicide attempts among underage psychiatric inpatient adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from 439 adolescents (age = 12-17 years) admitted to psychiatric hospitalization between April 2001 and March 2006. Information on adolescents' suicidal behavior and psychiatric DSM-IV diagnoses was obtained by using the Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children. An adolescent was defined as overweight if his/her BMI exceeded the 85th percentile BMI in the age- and sex-matched Finnish population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to adolescents without overweight, a 2.5-fold likelihood for SMB was found among overweight girls, but not among boys.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low self-esteem, depression or dysfunctional emotion regulation may be possible mediating factors between overweight and SMB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland. kaisa.riala @ oulu.fi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Riala
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Juutinen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hakko
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Räsänen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012649:Self Concept; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors